Episode 4: "House of Discovery & House of Hyper"
This edited and revised chapter was uploaded on July 7, 2020
Chapter 4: A Party for the Grounded
"Did you hear about Victor? He fell down the stairs last night and broke his leg." Patricia's announcement earned laughs the next morning at breakfast.
Nina, Fabian, and Cameron exchanged amused looks. They all knew exactly what had happened last night. Cameron hadn't gone with the other two — they had decided all three of them to investigate one stair was a bit much — but Nina had told her all about the key under the eighth stair. And all about their close shave with Victor. Him tripping on the loose floorboard was the only thing that kept them from being caught.
Nina's next news wasn't so amusing. Victor apparently now knew that the spare attic key was missing. Cameron knew it was only a matter of time before Victor punished them all for it.
"Don't exaggerate, Patricia," Trudy scolded, though the woman had a hint of a smile on her face. Trudy began serving out eggs, ignoring Alfie and Jerome as they began a tirade of egg puns.
Cameron rolled her eyes. God, she thought she had escaped puns when she moved. They were the favorite pastime of her brother, Matt.
"It's a sprained ankle, that's all," Trudy continued.
"A very painful sprained ankle," Victor groused, limping into the dining room. Everyone's laughter died as he loomed over him. The cane and limp did nothing to diminish his fear factor.
"Victor, how do you do that?" Trudy breathed, startled by his sudden entrance. "And with a limp, too."
"Someone sabotaged that floorboard on purpose," Victor claimed. Nina, Fabian, and Cameron quickly looked at each other.
"Oh, no," Trudy said. "That floorboard's been like that for ages. I remember telling you about it last year."
"Yeah, that's right," Fabian pitched in. "I've tripped over it myself a few times."
"Someone is up to something," Victor boomed. "And I intend to find out what it is. And who."
With that, Victor stalked from the room.
~)8(~
"Victor is onto us and I don't think we should go up into the attic again for a while," Fabian said. He, Nina, and Cameron were walking down the hallway towards their lockers.
"We have to," Nina insisted. Cameron was silent, but she was on Fabian's side. All of this was getting a little risky. Especially since Victor now knew that the spare attic key was missing. "That key opens something, Fabian. I don't know what it is, but I know you want to know."
"You know, for someone so sweet and polite, you're quite a risk-taker," Fabian said.
"Only when it's worth the risk," Nina replied. "Victor knows the key is missing, I heard him talking to Trudy last night. So, we won't have much time to use it."
Fabian didn't have an argument for that, and they walked off, Cameron just behind them. She heard Alfie in his werewolf mask behind her, Jerome laughing with him. Cameron rolled her eyes fondly. She had really grown fond of Alfie and his jokes. He had a heart of gold.
Jerome, well… She still hadn't quite figured out what to think of him.
~)8(~
That night, Cameron went out for a run, trying to avoid the party. She really wasn't a party-person. The loud music gave her headaches, the people annoyed her, and just the idea of dancing made her want to throw up.
The party had given Nina the exact excuse she needed to sneak up into the attic again, since she knew Victor would be too occupied with the party to prowl the halls. Cameron offered to stay behind as a lookout.
As she got back to the house, Cameron was relieved that she was able to sneak upstairs without anyone noticing her. Cameron was just about to duck into the bathroom for a quick shower when something caught her eye.
She paused. A white feather. Right there, on the floor in front of the attic door.
A trap. Evidence of the attic door opening.
Cameron quickly picked up the feather and shot a text to Nina, warning her.
Hey, be careful up there. I think Victor put a feather on the top of the attic door to see if anyone was going up there. Be glad I got here before he did.
Cameron ducked into the bathroom to shower.
~)8(~
Jerome was working the boombox and chatting up a girl from school when Victor walked in, scowling deeply at them all. Jerome quickly paused the music and looked at the caretaker. So did everyone else. They all waited for Victor to say something. They all expected him to say something.
But Victor simply spun around and left.
It was only then that Jerome noticed that three certain someones were missing from the party.
Nina, Fabian, and Cameron.
Jerome turned the music back on, and the party got back into swing. But Jerome couldn't shake the thought of the three missing housemates. The trio seemed close, but Nina and Fabian even more so. He had seen them running off together earlier, but Cameron hadn't been with them.
So, where was she?
~)8(~
Nina sat in her bedroom, showing Cameron the antique cylinders as well as the strange, spinning contraption that she and Fabian had discovered in the attic.
"It almost looks like a cryptex," Cameron observed.
She held the contraption in her hands. It was antique, brightly colored, and covered in hieroglyphics.
"What's a cryptex?" Nina asked.
Cameron never got the chance to respond. The bedroom door suddenly opened. They were quick to stuff the cylinders and contraption into a box.
"I wondered where you two were," Amber said, fluttering into the room. "You missed the cake."
"Oh, yeah," Nina said. "Sorry, was it any good?"
"Is that a jewelry box?" Amber beamed down at the box in Nina's hands. "Oh, I love jewelry! Can I see?" Amber came and sat down on Nina's bed, still beaming.
"Oh, no, no, no," Nina said, her hands coming to protect the box she kept her precious items in. "You wouldn't like it. It's nothing expensive or sparkly."
Cameron had to admit — Nina was a good liar. And she knew Amber well enough to be able to wane her interest.
"I hope you're going to be a bit friendlier when we become roomies," Amber said.
Nina and Cameron's eyes widened in unison.
"What?"
"I'm swapping rooms with Patricia," Amber told them. "We'll be sharing from now on!" Amber looked positively ecstatic, and though it took her brain a couple seconds to catch up, Cameron felt a smile of her own grow on her face. Sharing with Amber sounded fun! Despite their polar opposite personalities and interests, the girl was so genuinely kind. Cameron really liked Amber.
"Really? That's great!" Nina exclaimed. "Wait, was this Patricia's idea?"
"No, mine," Amber said. "I had a fight with Mara."
Cameron's face fell. Weren't Amber and Mara supposed to be best friends? At least… Cameron thought they were. She mulled over it for a few seconds. Then it hit her.
Mick. The fight had been over Mick.
Within one day, Cameron had been able to figure out that Mara had a thing for the blond athlete. Maybe Amber figured it out as well.
Cameron didn't blame Amber for being angry. She wasn't sure how she'd react if she were in that situation — her best friend stepping in on her relationship and not even trying to hide it — but she imagined she wouldn't take too kindly to it.
"So, about that chocolate cake…" Nina said. "Any leftovers?"
Amber smiled, and she and Nina stood, linking arms and making to join the party. At least, until Amber realized Cameron wasn't following.
"Cam, aren't you coming? Why are you in pajamas?"
"I'm sorry, Amber," Cameron apologized. "Parties just aren't my thing." Amber frowned.
"But you have to come down! Mick and I are back together!"
"I know, and I'm really happy for you two."
"Please come down?" Amber asked. "Mick would love to see you. He's told me all about the runs you two go on. I didn't like it at first, but now I see I have nothing to worry about. Please?"
Amber was giving Cameron her best puppy-dog eyes. She really wanted Cameron to come down.
The girl gave in.
"Okay, okay!" she laughed. "Just give me a minute to get changed."
Amber squealed in happiness. She gave Cameron a quick squeeze before disappearing with Nina. Cameron could only smile and shake her head.
Cameron quickly changed out of her pajamas and shimmied into a pair of white skinny jeans and a black, ruffled, sleeveless blouse. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and slipped into a pair of black flats. Cameron slid her phone into her pocket, snagged the attic key, and left the bedroom.
Cameron was returning the attic key. Victor was getting too close to catching them. Besides — it's not like she or Nina couldn't just pick the lock next time they went up.
Victor was in his office. Cameron had to be sneaky about this.
Cameron ducked down to her knees, out of Victor's line of sight. She slowly crawled towards his office, praying he wouldn't hear the wood creaking beneath her. Cameron finally made it to the entrance to Victor's office. She reached in, setting the attic key right there on the floor.
She really hoped Victor would just brush it off like he or Trudy had dropped it.
Cameron then slipped downstairs and joined the party. Victor never suspected a thing.
Cameron went into the living room and was met with the sight of people from school and her housemates dancing to loud music. She could already feel a headache forming. However, she didn't retreat upstairs, determined to keep her promise to Amber.
"Cam!" Amber ran up to her, a big, bright smile lighting up her face. "You came!"
"Of course I did," Cameron said. She smiled at the blonde. "I promised I would."
Mick joined them, also smiling. "Hey, Speedy. Thanks for coming."
"Of course, Mick. I really am happy for you guys."
Amber and Mick beamed.
"Thank you!" Amber squealed. She hugged Cameron again. "Have fun, okay?"
Then, she and Mick went to mingle elsewhere.
Cameron struck up conversation with a couple classmates, but eventually retreated to one of the armchairs. She readily plopped herself down and pulled out her phone. She started texting Matt, trying to ignore the growing feeling that she was being compressed.
Alfie came running into the room.
"Hey! Guess what I am! A party animal!" Alfie darted around, a cape over his shoulders and the head of a deer on his head. Everyone burst into laughter.
"ENOUGH!" Victor scared the room into silence. "Turn that racket off!"
The music was immediately shut off.
Victor was absolutely menacing. "Anyone who doesn't live here, OUT! The party is over!"
Guests were gone in seconds.
"And you…" Victor pointed his cane at Alfie, his eyes narrowing. "How dare you mess about with that? Take it off your head immediately." Alfie started pulling on the deer head, but it remained. "Did you hear what I said?"
"I can't. It's stuck."
Everyone laughed, and then immediately stopped when Victor yelled at them. He glowered at the teenagers with something akin to true loathing.
"I have had enough of you vermin. Who has got the spare key to the attic? Hmm? I know somebody's been up there. Tonight, as a matter of fact…" Cameron almost rolled her eyes. He couldn't know that for certain. She had gotten rid of his evidence. "You think you're all so clever, but you're not as clever as me. Who has it?"
"It's really hot in here," Alfie moaned. "I can't breathe."
"Well then, we shall just have to saw it off, shan't we?" Victor spat. He hooked Alfie's neck with his cane and dragged him from the living room. "The rest of you, wait there!"
"What do we do now?" Fabian worried.
"Nothing," Cameron said. "I already returned the key." Nina and Fabian gaped at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Well, it's not like Nina and I can't pick locks!"
"Did you put it back in the key box?" Jerome asked. Cameron shook her head.
"Victor was in his office when I returned it. I left it on the floor."
"You left it on the floor?" Jerome looked at her like she was insane. Cameron merely glared at him.
"Well I wouldn't have had to if you, Patricia, and Alfie hadn't made me steal the thing in the first place."
Jerome grit his teeth, but had no comeback. He needn't have needed one. Victor chose that moment to storm back into the room.
He was even angrier than before, and he held the spare attic key so tight Cameron actually wondered if it would snap.
"Oh, yes," he exhaled, trying to control his anger. "Very clever, very clever indeed, hmm?" He waved the attic key around at them. "Who put this on the floor inside my office? Hmm? Who?"
Victor pointed at everyone and demanded if they were the one who'd done it. The last person to be questioned was Cameron.
"Was it you?" Victor demanded.
"Yes, it was." Cameron's tone oozed sarcasm, and she flashed Victor a cynical smile. "You caught me."
"No! It was me!" Nina exclaimed.
"Ah-ha!" Victor cheered.
"No!" Fabian cried. "They're covering for me. It was me."
"You?" Victor asked.
"Yes. Guilty as charged."
Cameron rolled her eyes. "Come on. You really believe Fabian did it?" Victor snapped his gaze back to her. "It was me."
"Make your minds up. Who was it?" Victor demanded.
"Me."
Cameron's eyes widened, and everyone looked to Mick as he spoke up.
"It was me," he said.
"What?" Victor asked.
"I did it," Mick repeated. "Total key thief."
"Actually, he's lying," Mara quickly cut in. "It was me, Victor."
Cameron almost scoffed. She really wasn't very subtle about her crush on Mick, was she?
"Oh, yeah!" Amber said. "I mean no. It wasn't her. It was me. I love to steal keys so much."
"Actually, it was me," Patricia then said. She shot Nina and Cameron a small smile, one both girls returned.
"Stop playing me for a fool," Victor warned in a low voice. "Jerome, I know I can rely on you. Who was it?"
Jerome didn't speak, and briefly glanced at Nina and Cameron. Nina pleaded with him silently, her eyes desperate. But Cameron's eyes were carefully blank. It was like she was challenging him.
Well. Challenge accepted, Caramel.
So through clenched teeth, Jerome said, "It was me."
"That is it," Victor seethed. "That is it! You are all grounded for the entire weekend!" And Victor stalked off.
Everyone burst into nervous, relieved laughter, save Jerome. Cameron even felt herself laughing with relief. Jerome approached her, a deep glare set in his expression. Cameron knew it wasn't aimed at her.
Cameron gently touched his shoulder. "Thank you."
Jerome merely nodded.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Cameron furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Was Jerome Clarke apologizing to her? And for the second time in two days?
"For what?" she wondered.
"For making you steal that key."
Jerome left the living room, leaving Cameron with his unexpected words.
Hmm, she mused. That was nice of him. If this continued, Cameron couldn't help but think that maybe… just maybe… she and Jerome could be friends.
And she wasn't as put off by the idea as she thought she might be.
~)8(~
The residents of Anubis House spent the weekend on house arrest. So when Monday finally rolled around, everyone was bursting at the seams. They were all a little more enthusiastic about dressing in their uniforms and escaping the house to go to school.
"So, since we were all grounded, guess who used the extra time to study those hieroglyphics…?" Fabian had indeed taken the weekend to study the hieroglyphs decorating the puzzle box from the attic.
Nina gasped and smiled. "And?"
"Nothing. Total dead end. It's like they don't exist. The internet has just never heard of them. Even Cam was stumped."
Nina's face fell. If Cameron was stuck… That wasn't good.
"I was hoping it was going to be like before," Nina said, "where the symbols led us to the eighth step. Things were so much simpler back at the last clue."
"Have you thought any more about taking all this stuff to my uncle?" Fabian asked her. "How else are we going to find out what they are?"
"Okay," Nina agreed. "Lunchtime."
~)8(~
That lunchtime, Fabian, Nina, and Cameron left campus. Fabian took the girls to his Uncle Ade's antique shop, where hopefully, they could find some answers.
The shop was cramped and cluttered, but warm and cozy. They managed to find Ade after a few minutes of navigating and spelunking.
"Uncle Ade?" Fabian called. "Uncle Ade?"
From somewhere deep in the shop, a thin, balding man with glasses materialized.
"Customers! How wonderful! I haven't had a customer all week."
Cameron felt a little awkward at that.
"We're not customers, Uncle Ade. It's me, Fabian," the teen boy said. "Hence the 'uncle' greeting."
"No, no, no," Ade said. "That's not Fabian." Ade leaned closer, peering at the boy through his glasses and realizing that it was, in fact, his nephew. Nina and Cameron giggled lightly at the eccentric man.
"And who are these fair maidens beside you?" Ade continued. "Could one of them be your girlfriend, perchance?"
"No, no, no," Fabian immediately denied. "This is Nina and Cameron. They're just friends."
Ade looked surprisingly disappointed.
"Don't they teach you anything useful at that school of yours?" Ade looked at Nina and Cameron. "Five years he's been there and I can count on the fingers of one hand the times he's been to visit his dusty old uncle. It's not right, is it?"
"We try to stay out of family conflicts," Nina deflected.
"Especially as I make the best lemonade in the entire universe," Ade continued. "Would you like a glass? And how about some lunch? I've made some bubble and squeak."
Cameron blinked. She had no idea what that was.
"I'll try anything once," Nina said. "Even though it's named after the guinea pigs I had when I was five."
"That would be really nice," Cameron accepted. "Thank you."
"Come through, tell me how I can be of assistance."
Ade led the teenage trio through his shop and sat them down around back. He served them lemonade (which was indeed amazing) and bubble and squeak. It turned out that bubble and squeak was a dish of fried veggies and potatoes. It was delicious, and everyone happily dug in.
Cameron wandered the shop as Ade explained to Nina and Fabian what she already knew, but hadn't voiced.
The cylinders. She'd recognized them on sight. They were phonograph cylinders. And they most likely had something recorded on them.
"Oh, young lady, you won't be able to read that," Ade told Cameron as she picked up a book. "It's written in —"
"Latin," Cameron said, flipping through the aged pages. Ade looked startled.
"Yes, yes it is," he said. Cameron saw his curious look and explained.
"I'm fluent."
Nina and Fabian heard her.
"What?" Fabian asked.
"But, you can read hieroglyphics," Nina said.
"And you're not in our French class," Fabian added. Cameron sighed.
"I'm fluent in seven languages," she confessed. Nina's eyes widened and Fabian's jaw dropped. Ade did both. "English, French, Italian, Latin, Hebrew, Russian, and Japanese. Plus, I can read Egyptian hieroglyphs."
There was a beat.
"That's incredible," Fabian breathed.
"How?" Nina asked.
"I think it's time we start heading back," Cameron said, avoiding the question. She had said too much already. She turned to Ade. "How much for the book?"
"Young lady, I've had that book so long you can have it for free."
"Cameron's eyes widened.
"Really? Thank you!" Cameron immediately stuffed the book into her bag and said goodbye to Ade. She mentally promised to return to the shop. She could only imagine how many treasures there were in here.
As soon as they left, Nina and Fabian fired off questions like it was their day job. Cameron answered them the best she could without giving too much away.
God, if they kept this up, her secrets were going to be out far faster than she was comfortable with.
Hey all! Here's the latest chapter! I hope you enjoy it! And don't forget - if you're a fan of Star Wars, then I have a poll on my page regarding a new story and pairing. Make sure to go vote :)
Reviews
gossamermouse101: Oh, I'm so glad you're enjoying the rewrite! You're words truly mean a lot to me :) I think House of Anubis is one of those obscure childhood shows that never quite leaves us, you know? And it felt so good to get back into this universe. The inspiration has really struck me again. Make sure to stay tuned for further updates :)
thunderyoshi: I'm glad you like this story so much! That really means a lot to me :) And hey, I'm glad I could help you get back into your story. There's almost no better feeling than starting up at something you love again after a long time being stuck in a rut.
hella-sirius: Love your username, btw! I'm glad you're liking Cameron as a character! She was actually one of the first OCs I ever created oh so many years ago (embarrassingly long ago, lol). Her relationship with Jerome is definitely interesting. I feel like Jerome/OC stories fall into one of two categories. One: the OC is as much of an amoral prankster as him. Two: the OC is a goody-goody who ends up "changing" Jerome. And I'm not about either of those. Cameron, as you'll later see, is capable of setting a good prank, but she has extremely strong morals. But despite those morals, she's not exactly a goody-goody. And she's not about to change someone who she feels doesn't need to be changed. I wasn't about to create a character that would clash with Jerome to the point where one or both of them needed to change in order to be together. So, Cameron was born. She's not going to change for Jerome (like Mara with Mick, *cough cough*), and she's not going to force Jerome to change for her (like, to a degree, Amber and Mick). She is going to help Jerome mature, however, and he's definitely going to help her come out of her shell. They'll help each other grow, which is so important in relationships. And it's something I tend to find lacking in OC fics, especially ones centered on teenage characters. Sorry for the long-winded response, lol. OH! And as for Mick... well, you said it - you'll just have to wait and see ;)
Be sure to leave me a review if you like the update!
Sammiemoosam
